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Hiyashi tomato
冷やしトマト (hiyashi tomato): ice-cold ripe tomato wedges, the izakaya summer starter
Hiyashi tomato is the simplest thing on any Japanese izakaya menu in July and August: ripe tomatoes, chilled until icy, cut into wedges and served on a small plate, sometimes on crushed ice, to cool down a hot evening in Tokyo or Osaka. Many bars sprinkle salt; this home version leaves it out and offers a few drops of rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil instead, so the tomato's own sweetness and acidity do the work. About 0.0 g added salt; roughly 0.03 g per portion occurs naturally in the tomato. The usual mistake is using hard, pale supermarket tomatoes: this dish is only as good as the fruit, so buy deep red ones that smell of tomato at the stalk. Chef's tip: chill the plate as well as the tomatoes, so the wedges stay cold to the last bite.
- Total time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 3 ripe tomatoesabout 400 g, chilled for at least 2 hours
- 1 handful ice cubes (optional)
- 1 tsp rice vinegar (optional)
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
- 4 shiso or basil leaves (optional)finely shredded
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Rinse the cold 3 ripe tomatoes, cut out the stalk with the tip of a knife and cut each into 6–8 wedges.
3 minStep 2: Arrange on a chilled plate, on a bed of crushed 1 handful ice cubes if you like.
1 minStep 3: Just before serving, sprinkle with a few drops of 1 tsp rice vinegar and ½ tsp toasted sesame oil, and scatter over 4 shiso or basil leaves. Eat straight away while icy.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 45 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hiyashi tomato take?
- About 5 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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